Most grandmothers will tell you one of the joys of being a grandparent is being able to visit with their grand kids, but did you know it can also help lower their risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders?
Taking care of grandkids one day a week helps keep grandmothers mentally sharp, according to a study from the Women’s Healthy Aging Project study in Australia, published in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
The scientists followed 186 Australian women, ages 57 to 68, and found that the 120 grandmothers who babysat their grandchildren one day a week, performed best on two of the three tests.
In an ironic twist, however, too much babysitting by grandparents led to poor test results. Those women that babysat for five days a week or more, did significantly worse on the test that assessed working memory and mental processing speed.
“We know that older women who are socially engaged have better cognitive function and a lower risk of developing dementia later, but too much of a good thing just might be bad,” said NAMS Executive Director Margery Gass, MD.
It was an unexpected result, one that researchers are already following up with.
It seems that looking after the grandkids is not only great for a grandparents mental health, it gives them increased purpose and levels of life satisfaction. I’m pretty sure it’s something that the kids benefit from too! But, as with everything, all things in moderation!
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